State Senator going to Washington for health care lobbying

A state senator from Des Moines will be among a group of 24 state legislators who will go to Washington, D.C. next week to lobby congress to pass health care reform. Senator Jack Hatch, a Democrat from Des Moines, says they hope to persuade their political peers to pass a bill that includes a so-called “public option” that would compete with private insurance.

“To deliver the message again and again to our colleagues, to those senators and representatives that may be on the fence,” Hatch says. “They need to hear the story one more time from people, like them, who get elected and have to face the same public that they face.” According to Hatch, “everyone” recognizes the nation’s health care system is broken.

“From Republicans to Democrats, from providers to even insurance providers, and most importantly, from the public — we hear it,” Hatch says. “And we hear the stories.” Hatch spoke this afternoon (Tuesday) during a “Progressive States Network” telephone conference call, along with legislators from Arizona, Maine, New Jersey and Washington state who intend to be part of next week’s lobbying effort.